


Paradoxical Dreamers

by BriarRavenOrchidSparks



Category: Another Eden (Video Game)
Genre: Adaptation, Adventure, Canon Compliant, Character Dynamics, Friendship, Gen, No beta we die like SPOILERS, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Part I Spoilers, a headcanon dump, mostly - Freeform, what if your gacha characters had a say in the plot?
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-18
Updated: 2020-11-01
Packaged: 2021-03-09 04:13:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,355
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27078613
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BriarRavenOrchidSparks/pseuds/BriarRavenOrchidSparks
Summary: It all started with a dream. It all began with a mark of a cat’s paw print on her hand. Bivette has been looking forward to becoming the greatest mage as the newest bearer of the Antique but joining a young village guard’s journey has turned her world upside down.An adaptation of Part I of Another Eden: The Cat Beyond Time and Space, in the eyes of the ones encountered in a dream.
Comments: 3
Kudos: 16





	1. Answering the Call

It began with a dream on the night she took the oath. Bivette found herself in a dark hallway, a row of lamp posts lit with small flames flickering by. The ground beneath her was laid up in cobblestone. On the left of her vision seemed to be a tavern with rustic wooden structures. A quiet meow came behind her. She turned around before she smiled as a black cat with a violet ribbon and a golden collar nestled in. “Oh, hello Rumino.”

“Meow.”

“Do you know where we are?” Bivette petted him.

“Meow.”  He doesn’t know. Even as a dream, some aspects of it were still grounded in reality. Still, it’s nice to have some form of familiarity, but is this a test for bearing it? She wasn’t informed about this process. Some secret rite of passage she had to go through alone-

“Welcome, young lady.” Bivette blinked before she looked at where the voice came from. It came from a hooded man in blue robes with thick silver hair covering his eyes. A silver beard also seemed to be cascading over his mouth. He approached her. “It is nice to meet you, Bivette.”

“Who are you?” Bivette asked, taking a step back, quickly picking Rumino up for comfort. “Is this a part of the ceremony?”

“Not quite.” The man chuckled as he stopped approaching her, seemingly standing a few meters apart from her. “You may call me a watcher of fate, the Master of the Gallery of Dreams. It seems that you have an interesting destiny laid upon for you.”

Destiny? What a funny word. Of course she knows her destiny. She can feel it, the primal power of the Antique pulsing within her blood.

“Well,” Bivette mused. “I am the latest Heir of the Antique. I guess you could say that's interesting.”

“Are you willing to offer your assistance to the guest?” The Gallery Master asked.

“Guest?” Bivette blinked, an eyebrow raised.

“He has been bound to the crossroads of space and time, and should you accept this call of adventure, your fates will be forever intertwined.” Gallery Master replied. “It’s quite fine if you decline, but if you would like to...”

On one hand, she can refuse. Maybe this was just an unexpected intrusion in the ceremony. She never heard from the books of accepting strange contracts, so maybe she shouldn’t. On the other hand, there was something nagging at her to take the offer. Maybe, maybe this would bring her into something great. Maybe it’ll lead her to be the best Heir that her generation would have seen. Besides, she would be lying if this didn’t intrigue her.

“Sure, I'll help.”Bivette smiled.

“I am glad to hear that.” The Gallery Master replied.

Bivette heard the sound of a clock spinning. A bell suddenly rang with a high note near her ears.

“Time to meet the guest,” The Gallery Master spoke before he disappeared. 

Bivette blinked before she found a door made out of silver in front of her. It was ornately designed, eight spokes of golden light shaped like a petal streaming over her. Rumino meowed, nudging at the door. Bivette nodded before reaching out at the door. She pushed on, the golden light blinding her as she shut her eyes. There was a bell resounding a loud echo, as the bright light gradually faded.

~

Messy black hair framed a young man’s fair face. He was wearing a blue shirt, the collar slightly puffed out to show a bit of his neck. Dark pants with gold accents decked below on his shirt, with the same color scheme matching his boots. A short red cape with frills covered his shoulders. There was a shoulder armor plate that acts like a sling, carrying a rather large sword behind his waist.

The boy looked at her, giving a small wave. “Hey,” He shook his head. “This is my first time, so… uh, I’m a little confused.”

So this is the guest… he looked pretty swell. “Don’t worry, I’m new too.”Bivette scratched her head sheepishly. “Do you want to go?”

“Ladies first?” The young man shrugged his shoulders sheepishly.

Okay, that’s fair. Bivette waved a hand as she introduced herself. “Hi, I’m Bivette and this little kitty here is Rumino. Every mage needs a familiar, right?”

The young man raised an eyebrow as Rumino meowed in affirmation.

“It's only a matter of time before I become the greatest mage who's ever lived. I'm a genius!” She continued, winking playfully.

At seeing the guest’s raised eyebrow, she sheepishly chuckled. Yeah, she probably has a lot to learn, but that’s what a journey was supposed to bring. “Uhh… I guess that's not too convincing. But just take my word for it, okay?”

She let out a small sigh as the young man then reached out a hand. “I’m Aldo, from Baruoki. It’s nice to meet you, Bivette.”

“Nice to meet you too,” Bivette accepted the handshake. There was a warm tingling sensation in her left arm as she shook his hand. She let go, glancing as something formed over where her pulse was. It was something that’d be best described as watercolor paint smudging over, resembling a cat’s paw print. She moved her hand, noticing the print fade into almost transparent to an opaque setting.

“A paw print?” Bivette mused, a hand over her chin in thought. “What’s this for?”

“I don’t know.” Aldo frowned, his hand fiddling as his bell necklace. There’s also the same print in him, albeit placed in a different position. “Maybe the Gallery Master likes cats. He liked Varuo the moment he entered in here.”

“Varuo?”

“Meow!” A black cat walked up behind Aldo. Unlike Rumino, the cat had green eyes. He doesn’t have a collar but he still looked so cute.

“He’s adorable,” Bivette cooed, softly attempting to pet him when Varuo suddenly stepped away from her. Oh, so he’s a shy one. Alright, alright… every cat has its perks. “He’s careful.”

“You could say that.” Aldo softly laughed as he smiled at her. “You love cats?”

“Of course, they are the best at everything, aren’t they?” Bivette smiled when the lights on the street lamps suddenly flickered off.

Aldo blinked. “Something wrong…”

She can hear raindrops in her ears as the lights started to flicker into black. Bivette huffed lightly, talk about an early wakeup call. The dream was dissolving. “I think I’m waking up.”

“Waking… hey, wait!” Bivette was only made aware that her form is gradually fading. A rather drowsy feeling crept up on her as she carried Rumino, her partner fading on sight as well.

“It was nice meeting you!” She managed to wave at her new friend before her vision went black. There was a whisper of a clock ticking somewhere, as everything around her faded. 


	2. Underneath the Moonlight Forest

Bivette awoke to the sound of rain dripping near her face. She sighed, it was a nice dream, but she’s awake now. Getting up, she then cleaned herself up as she glanced at her surroundings.

A rainy Nuaru Uplands laid before her, the master of ceremonies for the ritual was gone and her belongings are still here, tucked safely in her makeshift cave. The defying gravity structures of the Uplands made it a safe space against monsters. The second one made sense; he did say he's going to leave as soon as the ceremony was over. Although Bivette wasn't expecting him to be gone so soon, he was a respected mage of his own right. 

So far, everything’s normal. Her first day as the new Heir has begun. She picked up her staff and she stretched out her arms when she realized-

“Rumino?” Bivette turned around. There was no response.

Ah, foolin'. Where is he? He can't have gone too far! The wizard quickly packed up her belongings. With a wave of her staff, her belongings disappeared in a blue light and appeared into her Dua, a pocket space accessible for all with a disguise of an ordinary object. She then looked at her Dua, her hair tie, and gave it a shake, the sounds of precious trinkets rattling inside it was enough to assure her. The Dua transfer was successful. 

She then tied up her hair, picked up her staff and set off from her cave. The rain was still going, moist mud tracks were left in the wake. Every once in a while, a stray goblin would wander by before lurking back in the shadows. A dull pain pulsed in her left arm. It was almost an itch. Bivette glanced at her arm, eyes widening at a paw print marked at her arm.

The dream was more than a dream and it was glowing… red?

Bivette winced, the red light flaring brighter as the pain bolded itself. There weren't any wounds but it was sharp. She glanced down at it, poking at it with her finger as she moved her arm around. It’s not really swelling, but the pain was manageable the moment she pointed it west. She glanced down, noticing pawprints left on the mud at the western side. That’s as much as a clue as ever. 

She followed the pawprints as she ran across the rain, feeling the red light gradually fade. She blinked, suddenly finding herself on the entrance of Moonlight Forest. The blue light that always reflected its nightlife nature seemed to beckon her into the nest of the blue moon. She then charged in, leaving the rainy Uplands behind her.

“Rumino?” Bivette called as she walked around the forest, the moonlight guiding her path. One hand held tight into her staff, in case someone should try to gang up on her. The chances of them surviving to her were unlikely- she’s a genius, after all! -but it never hurt to be prepared.

Her breath hitched when she heard a set of panicked meows. She hastened her walk, turning west to see two black cats hiding among the bushes and a boy trying to move past a pack of goblins with his sword. She smiled, one of them is definitely Rumino, his bowtie was a giveaway. The other cat wasn’t wearing an accessory but he looked familiar.

Suddenly, a stray goblin managed to sneak past the swordsman, about to attack the cats. Not on her watch.

“Nobody hurts the cats, dolts!” Bivette whacked the goblin with her staff, putting herself in the frontlines. She held her staff, noticing the boy’s eyes widening as she casted her signature charm over the two of them. She can feel the crackle of energy around them, a breath of vitality and life seeping back to the pair from the charm.

“It’s you…” That voice- she turned, seeing Aldo blinking at her before the swordsman then finished off all of the goblins. With the monsters gone, Aldo heaved a sigh. “Hey.”

“Hey,” Bivette smiled sheepishly, hiding her staff. “What a meeting, am I right?”

“Meow?” 

Oh, the cats! She quickly turned as she approached them. Rumino meowed, waving his tail yet Bivette frowned. There was a notable wound near his stomach, it’s most likely from those goblins that were probably wrecked. Good for them, those little dimwits.

“I thought that was just a dream.” She heard Aldo murmur as she turned, her hands gently picking up Rumino. He often prickles up when he has one of these.

“I thought so too, but oh well, guess we’re partners now.” Bivette smiled as Aldo then picked up Varuo. “C'mon, I know a safe space.” She ushered Aldo as they headed to the edge of the forest.

~

The moonlight shone a bit on their resting area as Aldo tended to his wounds. The edge of the forest’s quite small, yet the place was hidden enough that an ambush would be unlikely.

“So… that could have gone terribly wrong,” Bivette shrugged, opening up her bag, grabbing a small stash filled with an earthly-scented powder. “I’m glad it wasn’t.”

Rumino rubbed his paws on her skirt. Bivette chuckled. “Hold still, Rumino, I'll prepare it.”

Rumino meowed as he laid down, showing Bivette his wound. The wizard then took a clump of the powder from the stash. She then gently rubbed it in Rumino's wound, the powder gradually dissolving into the cat's wound. It mended the tear, leaving only a dull scar of what it used to be.

Bivette glanced at Varuo, the black cat looking at her curiously. “You want Cat Rub too?”

“Cat Rub?” Aldo asked as Varuo laid down.

“It's a special powder I made when I was young. It's for treating cat injuries. I couldn't stand seeing one getting hurt.” Bivette replied, gently massaging it on the scratches scattered around Varuo's paws. The Rub dissolved, letting the scratches fade away. She smiled, this was one of her magnum opus and she’s still proud of it. Chalk another one up for the genius!

“Thank you, Bivette.” Aldo smiled as Varuo meowed, bowing gently at the wizard. “I don't know what would happen if you weren't there.”

Varuo meowed too, as he jumped next to Aldo's arms. He patted Aldo's arms, trying to spread the rub on him. It’s cute, and quite a bit charming too. Aldo chuckled, petting Varuo. “Sorry, Varuo. I don't think it works on-”

Varuo meowed, patting on his arm as Aldo looked, suddenly blinking. “Uh, was it supposed to work on me?” He unbuckled his cloak and looked underneath the sleeve on his shirt. To his surprise, the scratch is gone.

Well, that was a first.

“Huh, that never happened before.” Bivette noted before she grinned. “Maybe it actually works on humans now!”

“Maybe?”

“I tried this on myself several times and it didn’t work, maybe the crafter can’t experience it, some rubs are like that.” Bivette mused before she giggled. “But all’s well that ends well!”

This was amazing, who’d known the Rub only needed time to work on humans. It seemed odd for it to work, but Bivette couldn’t care. She had added a new property in her work!

“Well, thanks Bivette,” Aldo nodded as he buckled his shoulder cape on. He then stood up as he frowned. “I'm sorry for not calling you sooner. It's just…”

“Hey,” Bivette stood up as she reached a hand out to him. “If I'm guided here by a paw print in my hand, I might as well know why you're here to begin with.”

“You're okay with it?”

“Of course. I accepted to join you, remember?” Bivette winked as the pair walked out of the resting area. Leading the cats outside the resting area, she asked. “So, what’s going on?”

~

Bivette listened intently as Aldo told her what happened after their first meeting. It was an intensive tale, a bit unreal at first. Despite it, she still believed. If that wasn’t real then the mark on her skin wouldn’t be flaring at the sign of him being in danger. Besides, she liked the unbelievable being real. It just meant that anything is possible. By anything, it meant that she’ll be the best wizard the world has ever seen, and that dream’s a step closer to becoming a reality.

“So your sister gets kidnapped by the Beast King, you made a pact with a living sword and now you’re here to chase them,” Bivette summed up as she winced. “Geez, that sounds rough.”

“Yeah,” Aldo sheathed his sword as they headed deeper in the forest, grabbing items and fending off goblins and abbettos along the way. Moonlight Forest may be large, but it only had a few trails that can be safely traveled. The other routes are mostly obscured, and for good reason. There were creatures in this forest she’d rather not face just yet. They were able to see the silhouette of a large beastman in the center of the forest as they glanced at each other. “Ready?”

Bivette nodded, glancing at the cats. “You two stay out of the danger, okay? We’re going to scruff that bad boy out and you’ll have your naptime!”

Rumino nodded, meowing as his tail brushed briefly on her leg before he hid off into the bushes, Varuo followed him, offering the same tail brush to his owner. Bivette smiled, a good luck tail brush was really encouraging. She then joined Aldo, seeing him already facing off the beastman.

Bivette’s aware about the Beast King and their campaign. It’s common knowledge at this point, and the war against them was leading into nothing but trouble. The fact they were off to fight the right-hand man Vares was a bit nerve-wracking. The keyword there was a bit. Her mother used to grow quiet when she asked-

There was a flash of light that paused her thoughts, as the battle began headway on by the moment the blade was raised. She used her signature charm, always keeping the shield and the extra vitality charm up while Aldo fought with his sword. Bivette has watched battles before, but to be in actual one was giving her a mix of adrenaline and fear. Vares was in the middle of charging an attack, and they were running out of energy. Through what could only be sheer willpower was how they were able to defeat him, with the most basic slams of a staff and the swings of a sword. She honestly wished she was joking but that was exactly what happened.

The beastman was down on his knees as Aldo questioned, his sword now sheathed. “Quit messing around. Where did you take Feinne?”

“Beast King’s Castle…” Vares coughed as he tried to stand up, scowling at the pair. “But you’re too late… before long she’ll become our savior.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Bivette frowned. “So many lives are lost because of you…”

“None of your concerns,” Vares was able to stand up as he then grinned. “Even if I told you, you won’t be able to live long enough to make use of that knowledge. Chimera, come!”

If Bivette knew how to swear like a sailor, she would have done so right now. Alas, she doesn’t know- and ain’t that a shame when one of the craziest monsters to walk on the land is this mishmash of a monster pouncing right in front of their faces. It's one thing to learn a chimera on paper but it's an entirely different thing when you're actually facing it.

“What the heck is that?!” Oh, this was Aldo’s first time seeing a Chimera? Lucky him.

“Only the most tiresome of monsters.” Bivette replied hotly before she pointed her staff into the beastman. “Just so you know Beetleboy, I hope you trip into a fire pit!”

“That would be unlikely, but this is where we part ways.” Vares chuckled. “Farewell to the both of you. Your stories end here, might as well play with the pets of your demise!” He cackled aloud, vanishing in the forest. 

Prick. 

The Chimera snarled as Aldo sweatdropped, looking at her before he grabbed her hand, in which she complied. It was a signal that was as good as any to flee. Chimeras are always going to be bad news. The pair ran away from the chimera when a loud roar echoed right in front of them. You know what’s worse than a chimera? A pair of chimeras cornering the both of them, of course. Panicked meowing echoed upon her ears as the cats returned to their owners. Bivette covered the cats on one side, while Aldo covered on the other side. She bit back a scowl as a hand reached to her staff. These ridiculously strong monsters can spit fire like there’s no tomorrow.

“What do we do?!” Aldo asked.

“I- I don’t know- stall?!” Bivette answered, her eyes scanning for some shortcut. There wasn’t anything that could distract, the paths were blocked by those monsters-

Rumino meowed, his tail tapping her shoes. Bivette’s about to ask why when she heard large crackles in the air, a certain shift of energy echoing around her. Aldo tapped her shoulder and she turned around, seeing a large blue… circle, rift, tear, hole? Whatever it was, it felt powerful.

“A hole? It’s rather large.” Bivette blinked as she squinted her eyes. It’s all white at the core of it, so she couldn’t be sure where it came from or where it’s heading. “Is it leading somewhere?”

“Bivette!” Aldo exclaimed and suddenly she felt it. The hole seemed to break her grip on the ground as she yelped. Aldo’s getting sucked into whatever the hole was going for.

“Aldo!” Bivette called, feeling her feet hover by the pull of the hole. The cats all meowed, jumping into their owners. Gravity has loosened its hold. The last thing she remembered were Rumino’s worried meows, the loud roars of the pair of chimeras as witnesses and the energy around the hole shifting before she blacked out.

~

The ground was hard. Bivette groaned, getting up as she shook her head. Vertigo’s such a fickle mistress sometimes. Talk about a shaky landing.

“You okay?” She heard Aldo asked before she heard a mewl next to her. Rumino waved his tail, looking at her in concern as he perched down from Bivette’s grip.

“Yeah,” The Wizard smiled. “You doing good?”

“I’m alright,” Aldo nodded, letting go of Varuo before he looked around.

Bivette blinked, suddenly noticing the lack of familiarity of her surroundings as she touched the ground. The ground isn’t exactly dirt, but something metallic. Strange black boxes were positioned on one side of the isle. “Where are we?”

“I don’t know,” Aldo frowned. Varuo meowed, running to an edge of their ground.

“Varuo!” Aldo followed his cat on the strange flooring as Bivette caught up to her new companions. She looked up, gasping softly.

Floating masses of land were scattered across the sky. On the other side of their platform were grounds that are also made out of metal. White clouds billowed idly, as if it was used to the islands and other strange landforms they have seen. Wind blew on gently, allowing the travelers and their cats to feel the extent of what seemed impossible was now a reality.

“Whoa,” Bivettte breathed. It was breathtaking to look at, but at the same time, she felt lost. Floating islands in the sky were only heard from imaginative storytellers in taverns. She believed in anything being possible, but this was a whole other level.

“Can you pinch me, Bivette?” She heard Aldo mutter. “It feels like a dream.”

Bivette compiled, giving a small pinch on his hand. Aldo winced, shaking his head. “Okay, not a dream after all…”

Bivette looked at the islands, the landscape before them that stretched across the infinite horizon. “It’s incredible… and a little scary.”

“Afraid of heights?” Bivette shook her head, about to make a retort that no, she’s not but being high up where you can’t see the ground can be nauseous to look-

“Hey, you two! Identify yourself!” A female voice cut through the air as the pair turned around. There was a young woman with dark brown hair, a green ribbon keeping her hair up on a messy ponytail. She was notably wearing a red jacket on her and dark brown boots as her footwear. “For a minute there I saw you fell out of the sky… are you two some kind of new Synth-Human?”

“A Synth what now?!” Bivette voiced aloud as she blinked. “What even is a Synth-something?”

“Whoa, whoa, calm down! We’re just regular humans, honest!” Aldo replied. Bivette glanced at him, in the biological aspects, then yes. He’s correct. The magical aspect was another story entirely, she’s not regular in that regard and she knows it.

The woman glanced at them before she mused pensively. “Okay, I’ll believe you for now.”

“For now?” Bivette repeated.

“You two look a little goofy to be a part of their soldier forces, anyway.”

“You know we’re standing here right next to you.” Bivette waved her hands around as she deadpanned. “I’ll pretend you didn’t just insult our clothing choices, we had to make do, okay?!”

“Speaking of which, where even are we?” Aldo frowned.

“Did you two hit your heads recently? It’s an airport, duh.” The young girl raised an eyebrow. “We’re right outside Elzion, the Shining City.”

“Wait, wait, wait! Hold on, are those even real words?” Aldo frowned. “Airport? Elzion?”

“I kinda get the port from the sea port, but I don’t get the air.” Bivette remarked as she raised an eyebrow in her pondering. “Apparently people travel on air now and not on the actual ocean...” She heaved a breath. For some reason, that realization gave her mixed feelings. “Oh...”

“H-Have you been living in a cave or something?” The stranger seemed to sweatdrop as she approached them. “You haven’t heard Elzion at all?”

“I’ll just be clear, we have no idea what’s going on in this place. Nothing’s adding up.” Aldo began as he crossed his arms. “One moment I’m in Baruoki, and then we’re fighting beasts in the Moonlight Forest then we got taken in by some blue hole into here.”

“Hold it, did you just say Baruoki?”

“I’ve lived there in my whole life.” Aldo nodded when he glanced at Bivette. “My friend may not be living there, but she’s familiar with the current events in my area.”

“That sounds about right.” Bivette confirmed.

“You’re kidding, right?” The girl asked as she looked into the sky. “There hasn’t been a village called Baruoki here in, like 800 years.”

Way to put the shocker right in the gutter. “Eight hundred years passed by?” Bivette murmured. This wasn’t a dream, the reality of floating land masses was something she felt easily.

“Well what do you think the year is then?”

Aldo raised an eyebrow. “Ain’t it obvious? It’s 300 AD.”

Bivette glanced at the red-wearing woman. “Let me guess, you’re going to say that’s wrong because of the boats on the air.” She muttered.

“I wouldn’t say it like that but it’s 1100 AD.”

“Wait, what?” Aldo gasped as he looked away. “Who in their right mind would believe that?”

“Exactly 800 years later…” Bivette blinked as she came up to the realization. It’s not pleasant for her to deduce but it’s the only thing that made sense. “I… I think she has a point here.”

“Look around, do you think it comes from 300 AD?” The pair then looked at where the woman was looking. What seemed to be the city was so large at the scale. There were a lot of structures holding the city yet it still remained stable, all decked in the colors of white and blue above the hovering land.

“I still can’t believe it but... it’s real.” Aldo heaved a breath.

“Time travelling was supposed to be a myth...” Bivette whispered. There were tales about travelers through time, but they were just that. Simple tales for the kids and the interested. To see it was real and they were the first to prove it was-

“Yeah, that’s what I’ve been trying to tell you.” The woman breathed a sigh of relief. “It’s not like I have anything to gain by making this up.”

“This is too much…” Aldo sighed heavily as he looked at Bivette. “Where have we gotten ourselves into?”

Bivette sighed. “I wish I knew the answer but I don’t. The facts are there, and we’re here now.”

“I’m still having doubts about your story.” The girl raised an eyebrow. “Whatever it is you’re going through, I’d rather stay out of it.” She then pondered aloud as she sighed. “What am I thinking? Here I am, talking with a pair of kookies and answering their questions.”

The girl was about to leave when Aldo called aloud. “Wait, hold on, miss. I still have a lot of questions to ask…”

“Hit me up later, if you want. My place is in Gamma District. It’s the Tristar Weapon Shop, got it?” The girl replied before she paused. “Oh, and the name’s Amy.”

“I’m Aldo, and this is my friend Bivette.” Aldo greeted.

“And this is our cats- oh, they’re sleeping.” Bivette continued before she smiled at the sight. Varuo and Rumino were sleeping together on a corner of the airport throughout the conversation. She squinted, suddenly noticing there’s a faint light hovering near them.

“See you round, Aldo, Bivette.” Amy replied. “Good luck with the whole time travelling thing.”

As Amy left, the pair were left to ponder on their new predicament. Bivette sat on the ground, the metal was a sharp contrast in sitting than the actual ground. “Gamma District? Weapon Shop? What do you think, Aldo?”

“Looks like we’re on our own… may as well check out Elzion while we’re at it.” Aldo sighed. “If this really is the future, then we have to find a way to get back on our own time.”

“Okay,” Bivette nodded. “But after we wake them,”

“Wake them?”

Bivette gestured to the sleeping cats as she smiled. “After we wake the cats up.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dua - in-universe depiction of a hammerspace, because of how many items you're able to keep in your bag at the menu, and its divided into several categories as well.
> 
> Writing Bivette sort of verges on keeping her canon base while also bringing something new to table. Her background is still the same, but there's bits and pieces that aren't proven by canon that expands the definition of this self-proclaimed genius.
> 
> Okay, but in all honesty, I can't believe some of you seem to enjoy this. The first two are mostly Bivette and Aldo centric, but the next chapters are going to add more characters to the fray and bearing more interactions.


	3. In the Far Future

The pair were able to get some rest after waking up the cats. It turned out that the hovering light near the cats can restore their vitality and energy. Talk about a lucky pick-me-up. After the brief period of resting, the pair were now off to explore the airport. There was a large bronze carriage that seemed to be floating on the western end of the platform. Well, that’s strange.

“Huh, is it some kind of iron chest?” Bivette guessed, her fingers idly playing with her hair.

“Well, it’s pretty big,” Aldo commented as he squinted on the inside. “Is it flat in there?”

“I hope you’re only implying about the object, Aldo.”

“H-Hey, I was.” Aldo rebutted when a voice echoed within the chest.

“Thank you for using the Elzion shuttle service. We will soon depart for the next stop.”

“Guess we’re going in, after you,” Bivette playfully remarked as the pair then entered the iron chest. To her surprise, it’s much more spacious than what she expected. The interior was one-note colored in copper and the seating seemed to occupy about ten people inside.

A whoosh of a wind paused her thoughts as the iron’s door opened. Aldo shook his head as they stepped out of the chest. “It’s a flying horseless carriage? Geez, this is getting too complicated.”

“The voice interior said it was a shuttle something.” Bivette pointed out as they walked across the airport. “Seems like a boat in the air to me, the only thing different is that it has a roof.”

“You know a lot about ports, Bivette.” Aldo noted. “Are you from Rinde?’

“Yeah, I grew up there as a child, but there were times I go out of town with my guardians to watch them train.” Bivette nodded before she frowned. “They just set off on a journey recently, I hope they’re doing okay.”

“Enemy detected, enemy detected.” Rumino seemed to hiss as the conversation was paused by a pair of metallic objects. What Bivette could only describe of these was that they look like hovering metal squids. Aldo procured his sword as they finished the enemies off quickly. The enemies didn’t last that long, which was a relief for now.

“Let’s talk this one somewhere safer,” Aldo suggested, in which Bivette nodded. With that, they continued walking around the port, finding another shuttle nearby. There was a man in white studying around boxes that they passed by.

“Can we talk to him? He might have more to say about this place.”

“He looks busy, Bivette.”

“Come on, please?”

“Maybe later,” Aldo shook his head, in which Bivette pouted but she relented. The next platform that the shuttle car took them was on a large area, their path blocked by a trio of iron men cornering a girl with pink hair. This statement was stranger than the last.

“So, there’s a trio of walking steel in front of us blocking a girl,” Bivette spoke before she frowned. “That’s not nice, cornering a girl just because she has pink hair… which doesn’t feel like hair?” At a glance, the hair felt smooth, too smooth to touch that she’s afraid it might get rough.

“Those walking steel has to be those Synth-people Amy was talking about… and is that an iron mask?” Aldo noted. It was at this moment that the girl turned, noticing them as she spoke.

“You are in error. Allow me to clarify. I am not a Synth Human. I am a KMS general-use android, Type 2-03. Designation: Riica.” Her voice was odd, Bivette absently noted. There’s nothing wrong with it, but it sounded metallic like her hair. She should really find a good metaphor for these new terms. “Current conditions are too dangerous for holding conversation. Please reserve yourself from the area.”

“KM? Andy?” Bivette blinked.

Aldo shook his head. “I may not have any idea about those terms but it’s not okay to leave you when you’re in danger.”

“You are most kind. Please don’t allow yourself to get hurt unduly.”

“Don’t worry too much,” Bivette grinned, grabbing her staff. “Just hang tight, okay?”

Riica nodded. “Threat Level: C. Safety Release Approved. Wire Chamber Engaged. Switching to Combat Mode.” This was the moment Riica pulled out a mace about as large as her. Was this the future’s equivalent of a battle cry, the kind that hypes you up? It probably was. “Your aggression entitles me to restrain you with maximum force. Please prepare yourselves. I am not without compassion, but I have no protocol for showing mercy to villains like you! Initializing Assault!”

It’s definitely an equivalent of a battle cry, Bivette noted as the battle began. The fight against these so-called Synth Humans was anticlimactic, lasting only for a few turns until they were down to dust. Seriously, she’s been looking for more of a challenge, but on the bright side, at least everyone’s okay.

Riica bowed lightly with her head. “Thank you for your assistance, allow me to formally introduce myself. I am Riica, a KMS android.”

“I’m Bivette, pleased to meet you,” Bivette greeted back before quickly looking at the smooth-looking hair. “Is your hair really that shiny? It’s so smooth!”

Aldo chuckled at Bivette’s excitement. “I’m Aldo… I’ll be honest, we’ve never seen an android up close. Is your whole body made out of metal?”

“It’s flattering to hear that, however these pigtails aren’t my hair. They are my metal antennas.” Riica shook her head. “To be more precise on the metal, I’m mostly composed of glicamassor superalloy and reinforced fibers.”

“Aw, but I still think they’re really pretty, you know.” Bivette remarked.

“I still can’t believe it, a person made out of metal, Bivette!” Aldo blinked as he heaved an excited breath.

“I heard you the first time.” Bivette fondly rolled her eyes. “We just fought walking steel, Aldo.”

“Strictly speaking, I am not human, as I said, I am a KMS android.” Riica nodded. “I sense no deficiencies on your ocular faculties. Therefore, doubting the facts would be illogical.”

Aldo blinked, scratching his neck sheepishly as Riica continued. “Parenthetically, if I may inquire, what are you doing in the airport?”

“Good question, we don’t have a clue.” Bivette waved her hands up idly. “Shocking, right?”

“Let’s just there’s a lot of things we need to know about this world.” Aldo added.

“You have your reasons, I understand. Then I won’t pry,” Riica nodded before she continued. “But you seem to feel distressed. If I can offer assistance about it, please don’t hesitate to ask.”

“Wait, you’re helping us?” Aldo asked.

Riica nodded. “Affirmative, turning my back on you would be a breach in my programming. It is my duty as a civil service droid to help those in need.”

“Thank you! I’m sure this will make a difference with you around.” Bivette smiled.

Aldo frowned. “Although, does it have any cost to this? I’m not sure if we have enough to pay you back…”

“Worry not, I will keep a record of services rendered in my memory banks.”

“I guess that’s great?” Aldo shrugged before he nodded. “Well, I’ll be counting on you, Riica.”

With that in mind, Riica joined them as Bivette introduced her to Varuo and Rumino. The android liked petting them, and the cats seemed to like her back. It’s reassuring to have another companion, one that’s familiar with the world was a bonus.

“I must also inform you that I lack a sense of direction.” Still reassuring despite that warning. Riica knew well about the world they’re in, that’s a good enough bonus.

“Wait, seriously?” Aldo blinked as Riica spoke more that it’s written under her terms and conditions- whatever that is? Is it a contract in future terms? Bivette shrugged, that question can be asked later.

“Despite that fact, can you help us get to Elzion, Riica?” Bivette asked. “We think we can get answers to our situation there.”

Riica nodded. “Fortunately, we’re not that far ahead. Elzion is located at the end of this airport. Let us proceed.”

Thus, three people and two cats then walked across the airport platform, grabbing loot if they could along the way. The two time-displaced travelers were able to find a name about those hovering metal squids. Riica called the gray one a Search Bit, and the red one, well, obviously a Red Search Bit. She informed them that they’re often used as scouts by Synth Humans. There was a shuttle on the northwestern corner of the airport, in which the group rode on to.

The path leading to Elzion was large, walls that almost touch the sky were prevalent while walking onto the entrance. “You could fit Baruoki several times and there could still be room for more.” Aldo commented. Bivette’s no cartographer, but maybe that’s a good estimate. She went to Baruoki before, but it was only for short trips. She wondered if Grandma’s doing okay there.

“Living in the sky may be cool and all, but I like the ground. At least it’s stable.” Bivette winced. “What made people live on the high edge anyway?”

“What brought you here from the past could have been a tear in the spacetime continuum.” Riica mused. “As for the other question, the polluted surface has been unsustainable for human life due to the dwindling supply of naturally occurring Prisma.”

“Wait, polluted surface?” Bivette blinked. “I’m sorry, but Prisma was running out?” She could have seen this coming; everything has a natural supply that eventually runs out in time. Still, she’s a bit surprised at the confirmation. How could natural Prisma be depleted within-

“What do you mean by a tear in spacetime?” Her musings were paused at Aldo’s question.

“It’s a wormhole of sorts, but I do not know what caused it.” Riica continued. “Ah, wait, you two should prepare for-”

Red greeted her vision as Bivette found herself yelping at the red lights blocking the gates. “Two intruders detected at Theta District.” A monotone voice echoed aloud in front of the gate.

“Uh, what is that?!” Aldo gasped, his hands up on the air.

“Personal records not found. Please state your citizen ID number.”

“Citizen what now?” Bivette blinked.

“We don’t have those-”

The monotone voice interrupted Aldo’s remark. “ID entry failed. Initiating body scans.”

What happened next was strange to say the least. There was a ring of red light surrounding each of them, going up and down. It wasn’t painful or uncomfortable, but Bivette was still caught off-guard by the suddenness. She looked at their cats, who were oddly not being inspected by the ring light. “Riica, is this a bad thing?” Aldo asked.

“Worry not. This is simply the standard operating procedure for Elzion’s security system.”

“Why do they don’t account for cats?” Bivette raised an eyebrow, speaking cautiously.

“It wasn’t necessary to add the feature, last time I checked, and it’s mostly common for mechanical cats to be around.” Riica answered.

Before Bivette could ask more about mechanical cats, the monotone voice beeped. “Cross-referencing Elzion citizen data… no matches found. Several deviations from base parameters detected. Subjects should not exist.”

Bivette pouted within the ring light. “Wow, no need to hit the low point now, would you?”

“Possibility of Synth Human interference: negligible. Threat to public safety: 3.31%.”

“Don’t worry, it’s nothing personal on the system’s side.” Riica shook her head.

There was another beep as the monotone voice continued, the red warning light and the ring body scan disappearing below the floor. “Please state your purpose for visiting Elzion.”

Bivette nudged Aldo as the swordsman answered. “We’re here to visit Tristar’s Weapon Shop, if that’s okay with you?”

“Tristar’s Weapon Shop... Ishar’s. Request Confirmed. Temporary registration complete. Access to Gamma District granted. For visa extensions or full citizenship, please apply via the Central Processing Hall. Thank you for your cooperation.” At the final beep of the voice, the white gates of Elzion have opened and it was huge to say the least. Everything Bivette could see inside the city was an entirely new thing together.

“Most of what happened went over my head, but we’re allowed to head in now, right?” Aldo asked.

“Affirmative, let us proceed then.” With Riica’s confirmation, the group entered Elzion. All that Bivette could see that the city was colored in blue and white. Riica offered more information about the city. Whatever replaced the naturally occurring Prisma was Xeno Prisma, an artificial one developed in place. The Xeno prisma seemed to be the glowing red orb at the center of the district, which was the Theta District. Riica led them to a tube, which has led them to the Gamma District.

Gamma District seemed to be more bustling than the previous district, in which Riica explained that it was the commercial district. As such, most shops and businesses were stationed here. They were able to find the Weapon Shop, decked in dark grays with an insignia of a man on top as the group entered it.  The interior was welcoming, it has the same color scheme as Elzion with the muted blues and the muted grays. There was a person manning the counter and samples of weapons were decked on display for anyone to see. Bivette looked left and- oh! There’s Amy!

“Thanks for the tip, Riica.” Bivette whispered to Riica. She nodded in reply, saying that she’ll wait outside for them as Amy turned around, making an odd curtsy.

“Oh look who it is! Welcome to our humble shop, travelers from the mist of time.”

“Friends of yours, Amy? What’s this about time travel? Some kind of new promotion?” Someone seemed to notice them, and it was the man shown on the insignia outside the shop. The pair turned and the man had striking gray hair scruffed over.

Amy seemed to shrug as she walked next to them. “I met these two wandering around the airport earlier. Said something that they came from 800 years ago.”

“Well, grease my gears, ain’t that somethin! Is that genuine medieval armor and weapons you got there, buddy?” The man whistled, eyeing Aldo. Bivette glanced at him, noticing his perplexed reaction at the attention. “Mind if I take a look at them? You know, for research?”

Aldo blinked at the request as Bivette shrugged at him. It’s his equipment after all. “Uh, sure. If you want, then go ahead.”

“Dad, you can’t possibly believe them! They got to have some screws loose…” Amy rolled her eyes. The man, who’s now revealed to be Amy’s father, came to inspect the equipment, airing out a chuckle.

“Well, well, would you look at that! That’s early Miglance craftsmanship, no doubt about it! This design is just elegant, hasn’t even aged a day as well!” He laughed heartily as he glanced at Bivette. “Your clothing seemed to fit the medieval era as well. What a treat.”

“Uh, thanks?” Bivette blinked, scratching her neck as well. “I never thought you’d know that.”

“Equipment may be my main forte, but I know a few things about medieval clothing as well.” The man replied. “Never thought I’d see the day… pinch me Amy, I have to be dreaming!”

“Wait, are you serious?”

“Come on, Amy. Not doubting my professional eye now, are you?”

“But that’s impossible! So you’re saying they’re from the past?!” Amy sighed, shaking her head as Bivette nodded. “On second thought, don’t answer that. Right now, we have to focus on our Synth Human problem.”

“You mean those walking steel with the axes?” Bivette raised an eyebrow.

“They are a part of it, yes.” Amy nodded. “We finally managed to track down one of their strongholds. An officer named Galliard and his squad are holed up underground somewhere in the Industrial Ruins. I have to verify if the info’s correct. If we’re right, we can start mounting a full-scale strike team against them.” She frowned. “Still, it could very well be a trap.”

“Amy, don’t tell me you’re thinking of going after them all on your own?” The man frowned.

Amy blinked before she nodded. “Yeah, I’ll do it. Is that a problem?”

“You’re out of your mind! It’s way too dangerous!”   


“Gee, thanks for the vote of confidence. Don’t worry about me, I can handle myself.” Amy reasoned. “Besides, if they find out that we’re on to them, it could change their plans. A smaller party would be much more viable.”

“I guess that’s true, but…” The father seemed to perk up as he looked at them. “Why don’t we make fine use of these two travelers that walked in?”

Bivette blinked, pointing a finger to the two of them. “Huh? Us?”

“That’s right! Travelling through time has to teach you something about staying alive. What are your names again?”

Aldo greeted. “I’m Aldo, and that’s my friend Bivette.”

“Hiya! Great to meet you.” Bivette smiled as she waved her hand cheerfully.

“Right, right! Whaddya say, you two?”

Aldo raised an eyebrow at Amy’s silence. “Something wrong, Amy?”

Amy was idly brushing her arm before she replied. “I guess it’s fine, but are you sure you’re willing to go for this?”   


“Of course, until we can find our way back home, we may as well learn more about this place.” Bivette nodded.

“Those Synth Humans sound like trouble, we can’t just leave you be.” Aldo added.

“Okay then. Welcome to the cause. Make sure you pull your weight, I can’t always watch your back all the time.” Amy nodded as she crossed her arms, raising an eyebrow at her father. “Happy now, Dad?”

“Yep, that’s a load off my mind.” The man smiled, his hands procuring a cloth. “By the by, Aldo, your sword looks a bit scratched up around the hilt. I could fix it for you, if you like.”

Aldo blinked, showing him the sword. “Really? I hadn’t noticed… thanks!”

Amy’s father proceeded to rub the cloth at the sword, offering a wink in reply. “This should do the trick. Look after my little girl, buds. All of you be careful and come back home safe, y’hear?”

“It’s a promise.” Bivette smiled as Aldo sheathed back his sword.

“We won’t let you down.” Aldo nodded.

“Before you go, wanna take a look at our wares? We can make some real beauts with the right materials. Pays to be prepared, right?” Aldo shrugged at the request, and so Bivette watched Aldo browsed across the wares while she waited. Aldo was able to buy new weapons for the both of them before they set off outside the blacksmith.

Riica was waiting for them as she nodded. “Good day! You got what you needed?”

“Yep. Oh, Riica, this is-” Bivette was about to introduce her to Amy when the latter interrupted.

“I already know her back then.” Amy stretched her hands. “Didn’t expect you to join.”

“You know it’s in my programming.” Riica replied. “Isn’t this more beneficial? With more allies, now your father won’t have to worry so much.”

“Riica, did you eavesdrop again?” Amy winced.

“I don’t need to eavesdrop to know that your father’s worried about you, Amy.”

Bivette soon noticed someone watching them. It was a young girl with light pink hair tied into high pigtails that approached them. “Amy, there you are! I’ve been looking all over for you.”

Bivette glanced at Amy, in which the latter shrugged. “Hi, Sebastia. What’s up? I’m kinda in the middle of something right now…” She ushered to them

“Trust me, you’re not going to want to miss this.” The girl, now promptly named Sebastia, spoke. “I can’t talk here, though. Meet me in my place and I’ll fill you with the details.” 

“Wait, Sebbie! This is too sudden-” Amy called out.

“And you can bring your friends too if you want!” Sebastia then walked off as Amy sighed.

“What do you think, Amy?” Aldo asked. “Can’t hurt to hear what she says, right?”

Amy hesitated for a bit. “Well, she did say it’s fine to bring you along.”

“Knowledge is power after all. Sebastia’s housing unit is in Theta District.” Riica informed.

“Alright, then let’s go. I’m curious as to what she's so excited about.” Amy nodded. “Plus, we still need to think of a way to get in the Industrial Ruins. The place’s been closed off for years.”

As the group headed to Theta District, Bivette heard Aldo approach her. “Are you doing okay?”

“I should be asking you about that.” Bivette shrugged before she flashed a smile. “This world may be a bit much, but as long as we’re together, it’s nothing we can’t handle.”

“I know but I’m still worrying about you.”

“You’re doing the best you can in the situation.” Bivette assured. “We’ll be fine, Aldo.”

“Okay, Bivette…” Aldo smiled before he blinked. Bivette turned to see an elevator heading upwards, in which Amy and Riica have already taken the ride up. “I think they’re already up there. Let’s not keep them waiting.” 

With a nod, the two travelers then headed up the elevator, waiting to hear what’s next.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Amy and Riica entered the party! The original draft was going to put two new gacha characters in this chapter to cover the Part I's version of Chapter 3 in-game, but I looked at the word count and geez, that's too lengthy. So I'll be saving them for the next chapter unfortunately.
> 
> More Bivette's background hidden in the dialogue that Aldo knows early on. It makes sense for Bivette to know about ports since she lived in one. You may have noticed there are some details that aren't canon. Are they're going to get further details? They would eventually.
> 
> Well, there's not much to say except to say stay safe wherever you are! Have a great day ahead!

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, it appears I have created something that got out of hand.
> 
> I fell in love with Another Eden back on New Year's. Came for the P5 collab, stayed for the story (and cats). Seeing the odd lack of fanfiction inspired me to make my own after the concept for this has been spiraling for awhile. Honestly, this is just me making my own food and a literal headcanon pile came out. This is mostly based on my own experiences with the game and most of the characters that will be appearing are based on the early-game party.
> 
> While this will be a mostly canon compliant adaptation, there are a few things I give my own spin on the take. It's probably going to be OOC, and more focused on character dynamics at best, so apologies if that's not your cup of tea. That said, I hope you enjoy my disaster of a sprawl.


End file.
